Asked by dk
The Nit-Picking Glory of The New Yorker’s Comma Queen Question 1 What does Norris depict as being the difference between copy editing and query proofreading? Question 2 Norris shares something that E.B. White wrote about commas in the New Yorker, “They fall with the precision of knives outlining a body.” What do you think is meant by this metaphorical statement? Explain. Question 3 Norris gives very specific grammatical rules that she has come upon in her line of work as an editor. Were you familiar with any of the editorial issues that she explained? Which, if any, were you confused by? Question 4 Norris described herself as being ‘stern’ in her editorial position. If you were in situations similar to those that Norris was in, do you think you would have handled them similarly or differently? How so? Question 5 Based on what you learned in this Ted Talk, is the job of copy editor or editor a career that you could see yourself enjoying in the future? Why or why not?
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1) What does Norris depict as being the difference between copy editing and query proofreading?
- Norris presents copy editing as an active, authoritative stage: the copy editor enforces house style, fixes grammar and punctuation, tightens prose, and makes judgment calls about clarity and emphasis. Query proofreading (or querying the author) is a later, more consultative step: it’s flagging problems the editor can’t confidently fix alone and asking the writer questions about meaning, facts, or phrasing. In short, copy editing is making corrections and shaping the text; querying/proofreading is raising issues that need the author’s input.
2) “They fall with the precision of knives outlining a body.” — what does this metaphor mean?
- The metaphor emphasizes the commas’ sharpness and precision. Like knives that cut to reveal a shape, commas carve out the structure and rhythm of a sentence: they isolate clauses, set off modifiers, and define relationships between words. The image conveys both the exactness of punctuation and its power to change meaning — commas can neatly delineate or dramatically alter how a sentence is read.
3) Were you familiar with any of the editorial issues Norris explained? Which were confusing?
- Familiar/common issues:
- The serial (Oxford) comma and the deliberate house choices about when to use it.
- Hyphenation for compound modifiers (e.g., “well-known author” before a noun vs “the author was well known”).
- Distinguishing restrictive vs nonrestrictive clauses (comma use).
- Choosing em dashes vs commas or parentheses for emphasis or interruption.
- Punctuation with quotation marks and parentheses (American conventions).
- Potentially confusing, even for experienced readers:
- Edge cases where the serial comma resolves ambiguity versus when it’s omitted by house style.
- Fine judgments about cadence and rhythm — when a comma is needed for sense vs when it’s optional for pacing.
- Subtle hyphenation rules and when compounds become single words over time.
- Differences between house styles (so a “rule” at one publication may be “wrong” at another).
If you want, I can give examples or practice exercises for any specific rule.
4) Norris called herself “stern.” Would you handle similar situations the same or differently?
- I’d aim for a balance: be firm about clarity, accuracy, and the publication’s standards (as she was) while also being collegial and explanatory. Sternness can be necessary to protect meaning and consistency, but diplomacy matters in maintaining good relationships with writers. I’d explain why a change is being made, offer alternatives when appropriate, and reserve sternness for repeated or high-stakes problems.
5) Could you see yourself enjoying a career as a copy editor/editor based on the talk? Why or why not?
- A person is likely to enjoy copy editing if they:
- Love language, grammar, and detail,
- Enjoy problem-solving and subtle decisions about tone and clarity,
- Like working behind the scenes and collaborating with writers,
- Can tolerate repeated nitpicking and tight deadlines.
- It’s less likely to be enjoyable if you dislike repetitive detail work, find constant rule-checking tedious, or prefer more creative, wide-ranging tasks. If you want, tell me which aspects appealed to you and I can help you decide whether it’s a good fit.
- Norris presents copy editing as an active, authoritative stage: the copy editor enforces house style, fixes grammar and punctuation, tightens prose, and makes judgment calls about clarity and emphasis. Query proofreading (or querying the author) is a later, more consultative step: it’s flagging problems the editor can’t confidently fix alone and asking the writer questions about meaning, facts, or phrasing. In short, copy editing is making corrections and shaping the text; querying/proofreading is raising issues that need the author’s input.
2) “They fall with the precision of knives outlining a body.” — what does this metaphor mean?
- The metaphor emphasizes the commas’ sharpness and precision. Like knives that cut to reveal a shape, commas carve out the structure and rhythm of a sentence: they isolate clauses, set off modifiers, and define relationships between words. The image conveys both the exactness of punctuation and its power to change meaning — commas can neatly delineate or dramatically alter how a sentence is read.
3) Were you familiar with any of the editorial issues Norris explained? Which were confusing?
- Familiar/common issues:
- The serial (Oxford) comma and the deliberate house choices about when to use it.
- Hyphenation for compound modifiers (e.g., “well-known author” before a noun vs “the author was well known”).
- Distinguishing restrictive vs nonrestrictive clauses (comma use).
- Choosing em dashes vs commas or parentheses for emphasis or interruption.
- Punctuation with quotation marks and parentheses (American conventions).
- Potentially confusing, even for experienced readers:
- Edge cases where the serial comma resolves ambiguity versus when it’s omitted by house style.
- Fine judgments about cadence and rhythm — when a comma is needed for sense vs when it’s optional for pacing.
- Subtle hyphenation rules and when compounds become single words over time.
- Differences between house styles (so a “rule” at one publication may be “wrong” at another).
If you want, I can give examples or practice exercises for any specific rule.
4) Norris called herself “stern.” Would you handle similar situations the same or differently?
- I’d aim for a balance: be firm about clarity, accuracy, and the publication’s standards (as she was) while also being collegial and explanatory. Sternness can be necessary to protect meaning and consistency, but diplomacy matters in maintaining good relationships with writers. I’d explain why a change is being made, offer alternatives when appropriate, and reserve sternness for repeated or high-stakes problems.
5) Could you see yourself enjoying a career as a copy editor/editor based on the talk? Why or why not?
- A person is likely to enjoy copy editing if they:
- Love language, grammar, and detail,
- Enjoy problem-solving and subtle decisions about tone and clarity,
- Like working behind the scenes and collaborating with writers,
- Can tolerate repeated nitpicking and tight deadlines.
- It’s less likely to be enjoyable if you dislike repetitive detail work, find constant rule-checking tedious, or prefer more creative, wide-ranging tasks. If you want, tell me which aspects appealed to you and I can help you decide whether it’s a good fit.
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